Policy

In Ireland, guidance is provided nationally via state funding and private practice.The delivery, provision and activities of guidance services will vary depending on
 
  • the relevant policies in place;
  • staff resources available;
  • the client cohort and the age of that client cohort;
  • the institutional setting
In the education and training sector, guidance services can be integrated into and delivered within the overall education / training programme or co-ordinated to ensure provision to a specific education and training programme. More specifically, DES (Irish Department of Education and Skills) funded guidance is provided in Post Primary Schools (for students aged 12 -18 years) and in FET which includes the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI), Post Leaving Cert / Colleges of Further Education (PLC/CFE), Youthreach/ Community Training Centres (CTCs) etc.
 
In the Higher Education Sector, the student support services include Careers Offices, Mature Student and Access Offices, International Office and Disability supports.
 
In the Public Employment Sector i.e. through the Irish Department of Employment affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) guidance related services are provided in Intreo offices and by EmployAbility and local employment and job placements services.

Guidance for Life: An Integrated Framework for Lifelong Guidance in Ireland (2007) was the final report of the National Guidance Forum 2004 - 2006. During its term the National Guidance Forum agreed a common vision and definition of guidance for Ireland across the education, labour market and community sectors.

 
'Guidance facilitates people throughout their lives to manage their own educational, training, occupational, personal, social, and life choices so that they reach their full potential and contribute to the development of a better society'.
 
For more information and to download complete reports please see the National Guidance Forum website.

In Ireland, Lifelong Guidance is provided within education and training, for and with the labour market, and requires delivery approaches that are tailored to the target client group (e.g. students/adult learners etc.).

The Irish Education Act 1998, section 9(c) includes reference to the provision of guidance in schools in the following sections and subsections:

‘a recognised school shall….use its available resources to….ensure that students have access to appropriate guidance to assist them in their educational and career choices; promote the moral, spiritual, social and personal development of students and provide health education for them, in consultation with their parents, having regard to the characteristic spirit of the school'

Section 30 states that:

'The Minister may, from time to time, following such consultation with patrons of schools, national associations of parents, recognised school management organisations and recognised trade unions and staff associations representing teachers, as the Minister considers appropriate, prescribe the curriculum for recognised schools' - namely the guidance and counselling provision to be offered in schools may give directions to schools, where he or she considers it appropriate, to ensure that the subjects, syllabuses pursued in schools are appropriate and relevant to the educational and vocational needs of the students in those schools'

The key legislative and policy statements, circulars and documents published by the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) and the Department of Education and Skills (DES) can be accessed under the various sectoral heading (links) accross.

NCGE hosts the National Forum on Guidance twice per year to support communication co-operation and collaboration across the various guidance sectors in Ireland